The Legal 500

International Law Firm INTEGRITES founded a new unit – the Department of Business Development which is unique for professional legal services’ market in Ukraine and the CIS. Its primary purpose is to ensure high competitiveness of the Company in traditional and new markets, expand the range of corporate products and services and their effective promotion, and ensure the Company’s leading positions in the CIS and Baltic countries.

On the 28^th of October 2009 an international law firm «INTEGRITES» had completed a comprehensive due diligence project of contact agreements for Hochland affiliate in Ukraine that is the first stage of the regular legal support.

International law firm INTEGRITES has acted as a legal advisor for OTP Bank regarding international naval law, particularly on bank’s legitimate claims settlement procedure as a mortgage holder at the cost of the pledge.

November 30^th, 2009. Kyiv. Oleksandr Aleksyeyenko became a partner of INTEGRITES International Law Firm, one of the leading law firms in Ukraine and the CIS region. Mr. Aleksyeyenko will head Banking & Finance practice.

On January 18, 2010 Tyco International announced plans to purchase Broadview Security for $2 billion in a cash and stock deal.

Noted private equity player John Moulton’s latest venture, Better Capital, has floated on the junior market at the London Stock Exchange

Bucharest, January 21st - Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen (NNDKP) provided assistance to Ford with respect to the negotiation and conclusion of the guarantee agreement and of the movable and immovable security agreements for the purpose of securing a EUR 320 million guarantee from the Romanian state.

Bucharest, January 21st - Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen (NNDKP) provided

assistance to Ford with respect to the negotiation and conclusion of the guarantee agreement and

of the movable and immovable security agreements for the purpose of securing a EUR 320

million guarantee from the Romanian state.

Having previously picked up the “Best Law Firm in Romania for IP legal work 2009”, Vilau & Mitel won another accolade: the ‘Best Law Firm in Romania for Dispute Resolution legal work 2009’ at Corporate INTL Legal Awards 2009.

Law firm Mourant du Feu & Jeune has promoted two Jersey Advocates, Mathew Cook and Craig Swart, to the position of senior associate.

Patrikios Pavlou & Co announces the promotion of Lia Iordanou Theodoulou, Ioanna Nicolaou, Ioanna Demetriou and Dr. Pavlos Neofytou Kourtellos to full partners in January 2010 in respect to their contribution, professional work and dedication to the law firm. Congratulations!

Lawyers Carolina Meireles, Rita Albuquerque and Jorge Bastos Leitão strengthen PLMJ’s corporate and M&A area under the leadership of partners Vitor Réfega Fernandes and Manuel Santos Vitor.

Vienna. The Vienna business law firm Fellner Wratzfeld & Partner Rechtsanwälte GmbH (fwp) provided legal counsel in connection with the sale of Constantia Privatbank AG. After comprehensive restructuring and extensive negotiations, the bank was sold to a consortium involving E. F. Grossnigg Finanzberatung und Treuhandgesellschaft m.b.H.  

Vienna. Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners (fwp) provided legal advice to BAWAG P.S.K. in the course of the negotiations for state aid. After several months of negotiations and approval by the EU Commission, the agreements were signed recently.

Ogier BVI has had a very busy year. 2009 brought a number key lateral hires to the firm, including Ray Wearmouth, who joined from Harney Westwood & Riegels and Gareth Thomas from Conyers and Codan Trust; the firm won numerous prestigious awards, including “Offshore Law Firm of the Year” at the British Legal Awards and Michael Fay was announced as the BVI's managing partner.

Law Offices of George Z. Georgiou have won the Corporate Intl Magazine Practice Award for the ‘Best Law Firm in Cyprus for Employment Legal Work 2009’. 

According to the press release from the FSC, the establishment of the Focus Group is with a view to “making recommendations for legislative revision that are in concert with recent developments in the field and industry.” The FSC sought to bring together both private and public sector leaders and the 8 member Focus Group includes 3 Queen’s Counsels and the FSC’s Director of Corporate Affairs who is also the Registrar of Trade Marks and Patents.

Pfleiderer AG has reached an agreement with its banks on the conditions of a long-term corporate financing. The financing package amounts to approximately € 800 million and comprises a syndicated loan facility, Schuldschein loans and bilateral loans.

The wind turbine producer REpower Systems AG has concluded an agreement with its Indian major shareholder Suzlon Energy Limited on sales cooperation in the major international markets of USA and Australia.

Sarrau Thomas Couderc is the tax adviser of the Areva group in connection with the transfer of its subsidiary Transmission & Distribution.

Sarrau Thomas Couderc advised the new and only stakeholder of Mecachrome in the fiscal structuring process for France of this tier one integrator.

On January 5, 2010, Nestlé S.A. announced it had agreed to acquire Kraft Foods' frozen pizza business in the US and Canada for USD 3.7 billion in cash. The business includes brands such as DiGiorno, Tombstone, California Pizza Kitchen, Jack’s and Delissio. This frozen pizza business provides a new strategic pillar to Nestlé's frozen food portfolio in the US and Canada

January 2010: Last year (2009) proved to be an excellent year for Albar & Partners in the practice area of Islamic Finance as we continued to receive widespread recognition from the Islamic Finance industry's leading publications.

AstapovLawyers scored significant victories in the International FOSFA Arbitration in two parallel arbitration proceedings on amount over U.S. $ 3 million in the process of protecting the interests of a large Kazakhstan grain trade company against a large Dutch company. The controversy dealt with the application of English substantive law. At issue was the fact of the contract due to lack of signatures and seals of both parties, despite the direct requirements of the contract to acquire the legal force only in the appropriate form.

Starting November 1, 2009 AstapovLawyers was annonced as a prefered law firm for providing professional opinion on current legal developments in Ukraine for Interfax-Ukraine. The project is named "Ukrainian Legislation Review" with daily comments by our lawyers for Interfax news

AstapovLawyers International Law Group is pleased to announce that Ms. Victoria Buzhor joins Kyiv's office International Corporate Department as a new Associate.

On December 15, 2009 Mr. Andrey Astapov, Managing Partner of AstapovLawyers, participated in the conference "International arbitration. The state and arbitration courts: partners or opponents?" organized by Russian National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce - World Business Organization (ICC Russia) in conjuction with the International Court of Arbitration ICC and Russian Chamber of Commerce in Moscow.

On December 15, 2009 Ukrainian legal magazine Yuridicheskaya practika nominated AstapovLawyers as #9 among Ukrainian domestic law firms 2009.

On December 15, 2009 AstapovLawyers International Law Group in conjuction with IA Interfax Ukraine held a press conference on the topic: "Prospects for judicial reform in Ukraine". Among the briefing participants were Mr. Oleh Malskyy, Partner of AstapovLawyers, Mr. Alexander Volkov, a judge of the Supreme Court of Ukraine, Deputy Head of the Council of Judges of Ukraine, Mr. Volodymyr Bogatyr, Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine, as well as representatives from several law firms.

On 7-10 December 2009, Mr. Maksym Kodunov, Associate of AstapovLawyers, took part in the central event of the grain market of Russia - the Third International Conference "Russian Grain 2009" held in Krasnaya Polyana, Krasnodar region.

During a recent visit to New York Mr. Oleh Malskyy, AstapovLawyers' M&A Partner, and Mr. Oleh Beketov, AstapovLawyers' Senior Associate and the Head of International Litigation Department, held an executive meeting with several senior partners of leading New York law firms as well as prominent attorneys at the Harvard Club of New York City, a private club incorporated in 1887.

On December 8, 2009 Mr. Eugene Blinov, Senior Associate of AstapovLawyers, participated in the discussion of actual issues of German law during the round table: "Law made in Germany", organized by the German Embassy in Ukraine, the Union of the German avocats (DAV), Society of German and Ukrainian lawyers (GDUJ), as well as by the German Foundation for International Legal Cooperation (IRZ).

Bombardier Transportation has sold Bombardier Transportation (Power Converter Solutions) Germany GmbH to PCS Power Converter Solutions Verwaltungs AG. Bombardier Transportation (Power Converter Solutions) Germany GmbH develops, produces and delivers converters and electrical equipment for use in rail vehicles, the automobile industry and wind power stations.

Mannheimer Swartling has advised several individuals in a tax case before the Supreme Administrative Court in Sweden. The individuals were senior managers and had invested in shares of the company which employed them. Furthermore, these individuals were contractually bound by restrictions associated with their share ownership. The matter involved whether their share profits should be taxed as a capital gain or employment income. The Court ruled in favour of the taxpayers and stated that the income shall be taxed as a capital gain, which has a lower tax rate and does not require certain employer contributions to be paid.

Saimo Chahal, Head of Civil Liberties and Social Welfare at Bindmans LLP features in the 2010 edition of The Lawyer's Hot 100 report as one of the UK's leading Campaigning Lawyers. The Lawyer's annual Hot 100 recognises a group of lawyers who have been at the top of their games during the past 12 months.

Niederer Kraft & Frey wird jährlich zwei Auszeichnungen für hervorragend qualifizierte Master-Arbeiten im Rahmen des Master-Studienganges Business Law an der Universität Zürich (Master of Law UZH, Business Law) ausrichten. Die Auszeichnungen sind verbunden mit Preisen im Betrag von CHF 10'000 und CHF 6'000.

We are pleased to introduce our new partners

We are pleased to announce that Bär & Karrer's Litigation and Arbitration Department has been chosen as the winner of the Corporate Intl Magazine practice award as:

Ogier's BVI office has worked on three takeovers in quick succession. Starting in London the BVI corporate team worked with Herbert Smith on London listed ENRC's takeover of AIM listed CAMAC. Moving on to NASDAQ the office acted for the acquiror on the takeover of OpenTV, which was effected by an open offer. Finally, working alongside Skadden Arps the team is currently advising NASDAQ listed FGX International on the recommended bid from Essilor International. A BVI statutory merger is being used to effect the takeover which was recently announced.

KZR&P has just opened its Third Regional Office. After Warsaw and Kraków, the Firm has added Lublin to its National Network. Lublin has traditionally served as the hub for businesses in Eastern Poland.

By the Corporate INTL Magazine

The PJ Isola Foundation has today donated the sum of £2,000 to St Martin's School, a school dedicated to taking care of the special needs of some of Gibraltar's children.

The PJ Isola Foundation is supporting the Happy Faces trust in a number of projects in the New Year. In an interview with Christian Rocca, the Managing partner at ISOLAS and trustee of the Foundation, explained.

The PJ Isola Foundation today donated the sum of £1,000 to Women in Need, as part of its continuing efforts throughout the community. Collecting the cheque on behalf of Women in Need, Claire Borrell thanked everyone who took part in collecting the funds and explained that the money would be used for a variety of projects and that they were very grateful for the money.

In January 2010, ROWAN LEGAL welcomes two Senior Associates with international education and experience. Specialists in ICT Law, Zbynek Loebl, LL. M. and Jiri Cerny, LL. M. will strengthen one of the main specialisations of ROWAN LEGAL.

The Brno office of ROWAN LEGAL has moved. As of December 1, 2009, the new address is Květná 34, Brno - Pisárky, Czech Republic. Opened in 2007, the Brno office of ROWAN LEGAL has been dynamically evolving since, resulting in a need to move to larger and more representative premises.

Again with the participation of Penkov, Markov & Partners

Round Table: on the Commercial Register organized by AmCham

On January 4, 2010, Novartis AG announced its acquisition of a majority stake in Alcon, the world's largest eye-care company, at USD 180 per share or USD 28 bn. overall. The deal is the second stage of a larger transaction originally struck in spring 2008, when Novartis purchased a 25 % stake in Alcon for USD 10.4 bn. from Nestlé and agreed on a put | call option structure giving Novartis the right to buy, and Nestlé the right to sell, the remaining 52 % of the company still owned by Nestlé.

Leading British Virgin Islands law firm Harneys has broken new ground by guiding its client Amber Petroleum Ltd (Amber) to a successful reverse takeover of AIM-listed AfNat Resources Limited (formerly Lithic Metals and Energy Limited) (AfNat) by means of a scheme of arrangement under section 179A of the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 (BCA).